The ghost town of Bodie is situated in Eastern Sierra, at elevation 8400 feet, or 2500 meters. Founded in 1859 by W.S. Bodey. A mining discovery of gold in 1876 led to boom days of Bodie, it grew from a small mining camp to a real Wild Western boom town. By 1879 Bodie had a population of about 5000 to 7000 people and about 2000 buildings. There were 65 saloons, a red light district, four volunteer fire companies, two churches, a Chinese quarter, a telegraph line to Bridgeport and Genoa. There were two banks in town, a railroad. In 1910 the population in Bodie was 698 people, 120 people by 1920. A major fire in 1932 destroyed 75% of the town. Today, 170 buildings remain. Because of the high altitude, Bodie weather is harsh. Frost occurs regularly even in summer. Winds of more than 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) are common in these high plateaus.
The song "Lorena" was written in 1856 by Reverend Henry D.L. Webster. It was first published in Chicago in 1857, and was a very popular song during American Civil War among all people.
"Lorena"
The years creep slowly by, Lorena,
The snow is on the grass again.
The sun's low down the sky, Lorena,
The frost gleams where the flow'rs have been.
But the heart throbs on as warmly now,
As when the summer days were nigh.
Oh, the sun can never dip so low
A-down affection's cloudless sky.
A hundred months have passed, Lorena,
Since last I held that hand in mine,
And felt the pulse beat fast, Lorena,
Though mine beat faster far than thine.
A hundred months, 'twas flowery May,
When up the hilly slope we climbed,
To watch the dying of the day,
And hear the distant church bells chime.
We loved each other then, Lorena,
More than we ever dared to tell;
And what we might have been, Lorena,
Had but our lovings prospered well --
But then, 'tis past, the years are gone,
I'll not call up their shadowy forms;
I'll say to them, "Lost years, sleep on!
Sleep on! nor heed life's pelting storms."
The story of that past, Lorena,
Alas! I care not to repeat,
The hopes that could not last, Lorena,
They lived, but only lived to cheat.
I would not cause e'en one regret
To rankle in your bosom now;
For "if we try we may forget,"
Were words of thine long years ago.
Yes, these were words of thine, Lorena,
They burn within my memory yet;
They touched some tender chords, Lorena,
Which thrill and tremble with regret.
'Twas not thy woman's heart that spoke;
Thy heart was always true to me:
A duty, stern and pressing, broke
The tie which linked my soul with thee.
It matters little now, Lorena,
The past is in the eternal past;
Our heads will soon lie low, Lorena,
Life's tide is ebbing out so fast.
There is a Future! O, thank God!
Of life this is so small a part!
'Tis dust to dust beneath the sod;
But there, up there, 'tis heart to heart.
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Bodie Ghost Town June 2009by mstakenagain1,189 views
This is so weird!
Aseldo 1 month ago
Nice job Mika! :)
ladytess23 11 months ago